The Virginia governor's race is going down to the wire with Democrat Terry McAuliffe clinging
to a slight 45 - 41 percent likely voter lead over Republican State Attorney General Ken
Cuccinelli, and 9 percent for Libertarian Party candidate Robert Sarvis, according to a
Quinnipiac University poll released today.

This compares to the results of an October 23 survey by the independent Quinnipiac
(KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University, showing McAuliffe up 46 - 39 percent, with Sarvis at 10 percent.

Today's survey shows that if Sarvis were not in the race, McAuliffe would have 47
percent to 45 percent for Cuccinelli, too close to call.

In the three-way matchup, 4 percent of likely voters remain undecided and 7 percent of
those who name a candidate say there's a "good chance" they will change their mind in the next
six days.

Women back the Democrat 50 - 37 percent, with 7 percent for Sarvis. Men go to
Cuccinelli 45 - 39 percent with 11 percent for Sarvis.

"State Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is nipping at Terry McAuliffe's heels as the race
to be Virginia's next governor enters the final week of the campaign," said Peter A. Brown,
assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "It goes without saying that
turnout is the key to this race and the harshly negative tone of the campaign is the kind that often
turns off voters."

"With the race this close, the final decision by the roughly one in 10 voters who are
supporting Libertarian Robert Sarvis has become even more critical. Nationally, third-party
candidates often lose support in the end as voters enter the voting booth and back someone they
consider the lesser of two evils. Only six in 10 Sarvis supporters say they definitely will vote for
him. Almost nine in 10 McAuliffe and Cuccinelli backers are committed.

"Cuccinelli seems to be benefitting from Republicans coming home, but McAuliffe still
does a little better among Democrats than Cuccinelli does among GOPers. And, McAuliffe leads
among independents, perhaps the key voting group. It is difficult to see Cuccinelli winning if he
can't run at least even or slightly ahead among independents. Here, too, Sarvis' voters matter
greatly since the libertarian is getting 16 percent of independents, but only 9 percent overall."

From October 22 - 28, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,182 likely voters with a margin
of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia,
Colorado, Iowa and the nation as a public service and for research.
For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter.

1. If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Terry McAuliffe the Democrat, Ken Cuccinelli the Republican, and Robert Sarvis the Libertarian, for whom would you vote? (If undecided) As of today, do you lean more toward McAuliffe, Cuccinelli, or Sarvis? (Table includes leaners)

TREND: If the election for Governor were being held today, and the candidates were Terry McAuliffe the Democrat, Ken Cuccinelli the Republican, and Robert Sarvis the Libertarian, for whom would you vote? (If undecided) As of today, do you lean more toward McAuliffe, Cuccinelli, or Sarvis? (Table includes leaners)

1a. (If candidate chosen q1) Will you definitely vote for (Candidate of choice), or is there a chance you could change your mind and vote for another of the candidates?
IF CHANGE MIND: Would you say there's a good chance you'll change your mind, or would you say it's pretty unlikely?

TREND: (If candidate chosen) Will you definitely vote for (Candidate of choice), or is there a chance you could change your mind and vote for another of the candidates? IF CHANGE MIND: Would you say there's a good chance you'll change your mind, or would you say it's pretty unlikely?

1b. (If candidate chosen q1) Would you describe your support for (Candidate of choice) as strongly favoring him, or do you like him but with reservations, or do you support him because you dislike the other candidates?

TREND: (If candidate chosen) Would you describe your support for (Candidate of choice) as strongly favoring him, or do you like him but with reservations, or do you support him because you dislike the other candidates?